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Gang launched terrifying raid on Chandler's Ford HSBC bank

A GANG who robbed a Hampshire bank have been jailed for a total of 23 years.

Leroy Hall, Leon McKenzie, Clifford Griffiths, and Caston Francis were locked up today following a string of robberies, including a terrifying masked raid on the Chandler’s Ford HSBC on November 24, 2011.

They showed no emotion as the sentences were handed down.

The judge, Mr Recorder Nigel Atkinson QC, described the group as “sophisticated” and said their previous criminal history added to the seriousness of the case.

The court heard they carried out reconnaissance trips just three months after Hall, 37, and McKenzie, 33, were released for their part in previous raids on the same banks they had targeted between 2005 and 2007. During the 2007 Chandler’s Ford heist, two of the robbers were shot dead by police.

The thieves focused on G4S cash-in-transit security guards as they made their deliveries, including at banks in Gloucester, Bath, and Reading.

Leon McKenzie

They made off with £25,000 in the Chandler’s Ford attack, and a £125,000 haul from Gloucester. In each instance, abandoned getaway cars were found near the scene, as the group swapped them for ‘clean’ vehicles.

Leroy Hall

Leroy Hall, described by the judge as “the heart” of the London gang, received 6.5 years. McKenzie, considered to be a “principal” member, was handed six years.

Clifford Griffiths

Clifford Griffiths, 36, was sentenced to five years and will serve significantly less, having already spent almost a year on remand.

Caston Francis

The court heard that Caston Francis, 52, has been diagnosed with cancer and that he did not participate in the actual robberies, but accepted taking part in some of the reconnaissance trips.

But the judge told the defendants: “The seriousness of this event is self-evident. It becomes academic whether you were involved in one, two or three reconnaissance trips. You were part of a conspiracy.”

Speaking afterwards, Detective superintendent Steve Black, of the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit, said: “This was a sophisticated organised crime group who were willing to use violence and the threat of violence.”

Comments

mickey01
6:33pm Fri 28 Feb 14

let me get this straight two of them are involved in a armed robbery get 4 or 5 years months after release do the same thing and now get another 4 to 5 years that really shows how crap our punishment system is

let me get this straight two of them are involved in a armed robbery get 4 or 5 years months after release do the same thing and now get another 4 to 5 years that really shows how crap our punishment system ismickey01

let me get this straight two of them are involved in a armed robbery get 4 or 5 years months after release do the same thing and now get another 4 to 5 years that really shows how crap our punishment system is

Score: 26

andoru
3:18am Sat 1 Mar 14

mickey01 wrote…

let me get this straight two of them are involved in a armed robbery get 4 or 5 years months after release do the same thing and now get another 4 to 5 years that really shows how crap our punishment system is

I think it shows how crap our rehabilitation system is.

[quote][p][bold]mickey01[/bold] wrote:
let me get this straight two of them are involved in a armed robbery get 4 or 5 years months after release do the same thing and now get another 4 to 5 years that really shows how crap our punishment system is[/p][/quote]I think it shows how crap our rehabilitation system is.andoru

mickey01 wrote…

let me get this straight two of them are involved in a armed robbery get 4 or 5 years months after release do the same thing and now get another 4 to 5 years that really shows how crap our punishment system is

I think it shows how crap our rehabilitation system is.

Score: 2

Zexagon
7:11am Sat 1 Mar 14

Has the echo used the same photos from the Southampton murder story?

Has the echo used the same photos from the Southampton murder story?Zexagon

Has the echo used the same photos from the Southampton murder story?

Score: 4

Dai Rear
8:34am Sat 1 Mar 14

andoru wrote…

mickey01 wrote…

let me get this straight two of them are involved in a armed robbery get 4 or 5 years months after release do the same thing and now get another 4 to 5 years that really shows how crap our punishment system is

I think it shows how crap our rehabilitation system is.

That is a really silly thing to say. So you expect Probation Officers to "rehabilitate" serious organised South London criminal gangs who would generally settle scores with each other by using firearms? Get real.
And yes, the sentencing is so far from guidelines that one can only presume that Mr Recorder Nigel Atkinson QC has a very good practice and no desire whatsoever for judicial preferment. If CPS do not refer this to the Attorney - General then definitely as UKIP says, abolish CPS.

[quote][p][bold]andoru[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]mickey01[/bold] wrote:
let me get this straight two of them are involved in a armed robbery get 4 or 5 years months after release do the same thing and now get another 4 to 5 years that really shows how crap our punishment system is[/p][/quote]I think it shows how crap our rehabilitation system is.[/p][/quote]That is a really silly thing to say. So you expect Probation Officers to "rehabilitate" serious organised South London criminal gangs who would generally settle scores with each other by using firearms? Get real.
And yes, the sentencing is so far from guidelines that one can only presume that Mr Recorder Nigel Atkinson QC has a very good practice and no desire whatsoever for judicial preferment. If CPS do not refer this to the Attorney - General then definitely as UKIP says, abolish CPS.Dai Rear

andoru wrote…

mickey01 wrote…

let me get this straight two of them are involved in a armed robbery get 4 or 5 years months after release do the same thing and now get another 4 to 5 years that really shows how crap our punishment system is

I think it shows how crap our rehabilitation system is.

That is a really silly thing to say. So you expect Probation Officers to "rehabilitate" serious organised South London criminal gangs who would generally settle scores with each other by using firearms? Get real.
And yes, the sentencing is so far from guidelines that one can only presume that Mr Recorder Nigel Atkinson QC has a very good practice and no desire whatsoever for judicial preferment. If CPS do not refer this to the Attorney - General then definitely as UKIP says, abolish CPS.

Score: 1

gilbertratchet
10:34am Sat 1 Mar 14

Dai Rear wrote…

andoru wrote…

mickey01 wrote…

let me get this straight two of them are involved in a armed robbery get 4 or 5 years months after release do the same thing and now get another 4 to 5 years that really shows how crap our punishment system is

I think it shows how crap our rehabilitation system is.

That is a really silly thing to say. So you expect Probation Officers to "rehabilitate" serious organised South London criminal gangs who would generally settle scores with each other by using firearms? Get real.
And yes, the sentencing is so far from guidelines that one can only presume that Mr Recorder Nigel Atkinson QC has a very good practice and no desire whatsoever for judicial preferment. If CPS do not refer this to the Attorney - General then definitely as UKIP says, abolish CPS.

No, he doesn't expect them to. That's EXACTLY his point.

[quote][p][bold]Dai Rear[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]andoru[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]mickey01[/bold] wrote:
let me get this straight two of them are involved in a armed robbery get 4 or 5 years months after release do the same thing and now get another 4 to 5 years that really shows how crap our punishment system is[/p][/quote]I think it shows how crap our rehabilitation system is.[/p][/quote]That is a really silly thing to say. So you expect Probation Officers to "rehabilitate" serious organised South London criminal gangs who would generally settle scores with each other by using firearms? Get real.
And yes, the sentencing is so far from guidelines that one can only presume that Mr Recorder Nigel Atkinson QC has a very good practice and no desire whatsoever for judicial preferment. If CPS do not refer this to the Attorney - General then definitely as UKIP says, abolish CPS.[/p][/quote]No, he doesn't expect them to. That's EXACTLY his point.gilbertratchet

Dai Rear wrote…

andoru wrote…

mickey01 wrote…

let me get this straight two of them are involved in a armed robbery get 4 or 5 years months after release do the same thing and now get another 4 to 5 years that really shows how crap our punishment system is

I think it shows how crap our rehabilitation system is.

That is a really silly thing to say. So you expect Probation Officers to "rehabilitate" serious organised South London criminal gangs who would generally settle scores with each other by using firearms? Get real.
And yes, the sentencing is so far from guidelines that one can only presume that Mr Recorder Nigel Atkinson QC has a very good practice and no desire whatsoever for judicial preferment. If CPS do not refer this to the Attorney - General then definitely as UKIP says, abolish CPS.

No, he doesn't expect them to. That's EXACTLY his point.

Score: 0

gilbertratchet
10:34am Sat 1 Mar 14

andoru wrote…

mickey01 wrote…

let me get this straight two of them are involved in a armed robbery get 4 or 5 years months after release do the same thing and now get another 4 to 5 years that really shows how crap our punishment system is

I think it shows how crap our rehabilitation system is.

GASP! You're not demanding they be hanged, and coming up with inventive punishments involving ritual sodomy! You are literally worse than the criminals themselves!

[quote][p][bold]andoru[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]mickey01[/bold] wrote:
let me get this straight two of them are involved in a armed robbery get 4 or 5 years months after release do the same thing and now get another 4 to 5 years that really shows how crap our punishment system is[/p][/quote]I think it shows how crap our rehabilitation system is.[/p][/quote]GASP! You're not demanding they be hanged, and coming up with inventive punishments involving ritual sodomy! You are literally worse than the criminals themselves!gilbertratchet

andoru wrote…

mickey01 wrote…

let me get this straight two of them are involved in a armed robbery get 4 or 5 years months after release do the same thing and now get another 4 to 5 years that really shows how crap our punishment system is

I think it shows how crap our rehabilitation system is.

GASP! You're not demanding they be hanged, and coming up with inventive punishments involving ritual sodomy! You are literally worse than the criminals themselves!

Score: 0

Bobs Your Uncle ?
11:08am Sat 1 Mar 14

how much do these bozos cost to be fed and watered ?

how much do these bozos cost to be fed and watered ?Bobs Your Uncle ?

how much do these bozos cost to be fed and watered ?

Score: 0

gilbertratchet
11:42am Sat 1 Mar 14

Bobs Your Uncle ? wrote…

how much do these bozos cost to be fed and watered ?

Irrelevant. You demand law and order, that costs. Can't have it both ways.

[quote][p][bold]Bobs Your Uncle ?[/bold] wrote:
how much do these bozos cost to be fed and watered ?[/p][/quote]Irrelevant. You demand law and order, that costs. Can't have it both ways.gilbertratchet

Bobs Your Uncle ? wrote…

how much do these bozos cost to be fed and watered ?

Irrelevant. You demand law and order, that costs. Can't have it both ways.

Score: 1

christine12
1:01pm Sat 1 Mar 14

If only we lived in a country where we could say what we're really thinking!

If only we lived in a country where we could say what we're really thinking!christine12

If only we lived in a country where we could say what we're really thinking!

Score: 0

Dai Rear
12:08pm Sun 2 Mar 14

gilbertratchet wrote…

Bobs Your Uncle ? wrote…

how much do these bozos cost to be fed and watered ?

Irrelevant. You demand law and order, that costs. Can't have it both ways.

Not that irrelevant. These particular ones are an escape risk and are expensive. But a lot of money is spent on security for low level crims, junkies, alkies, derelicts etc, who are not an escape risk at all. They could actually be housed in places like disused holiday camps, with low staff-inmate ratio, but the superstition of the authorities stops that happening.

[quote][p][bold]gilbertratchet[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]Bobs Your Uncle ?[/bold] wrote:
how much do these bozos cost to be fed and watered ?[/p][/quote]Irrelevant. You demand law and order, that costs. Can't have it both ways.[/p][/quote]Not that irrelevant. These particular ones are an escape risk and are expensive. But a lot of money is spent on security for low level crims, junkies, alkies, derelicts etc, who are not an escape risk at all. They could actually be housed in places like disused holiday camps, with low staff-inmate ratio, but the superstition of the authorities stops that happening.Dai Rear

gilbertratchet wrote…

Bobs Your Uncle ? wrote…

how much do these bozos cost to be fed and watered ?

Irrelevant. You demand law and order, that costs. Can't have it both ways.

Not that irrelevant. These particular ones are an escape risk and are expensive. But a lot of money is spent on security for low level crims, junkies, alkies, derelicts etc, who are not an escape risk at all. They could actually be housed in places like disused holiday camps, with low staff-inmate ratio, but the superstition of the authorities stops that happening.

Score: 0

Charlie Bucket
3:50pm Sun 2 Mar 14

Dai Rear wrote…

gilbertratchet wrote…

Bobs Your Uncle ? wrote…

how much do these bozos cost to be fed and watered ?

Irrelevant. You demand law and order, that costs. Can't have it both ways.

Not that irrelevant. These particular ones are an escape risk and are expensive. But a lot of money is spent on security for low level crims, junkies, alkies, derelicts etc, who are not an escape risk at all. They could actually be housed in places like disused holiday camps, with low staff-inmate ratio, but the superstition of the authorities stops that happening.

Quite irrelevant. Bob above is clearly of the school that thinks we should magically not have to pay anything for anything at all. Somehow.

[quote][p][bold]Dai Rear[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]gilbertratchet[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]Bobs Your Uncle ?[/bold] wrote:
how much do these bozos cost to be fed and watered ?[/p][/quote]Irrelevant. You demand law and order, that costs. Can't have it both ways.[/p][/quote]Not that irrelevant. These particular ones are an escape risk and are expensive. But a lot of money is spent on security for low level crims, junkies, alkies, derelicts etc, who are not an escape risk at all. They could actually be housed in places like disused holiday camps, with low staff-inmate ratio, but the superstition of the authorities stops that happening.[/p][/quote]Quite irrelevant. Bob above is clearly of the school that thinks we should magically not have to pay anything for anything at all. Somehow.Charlie Bucket

Dai Rear wrote…

gilbertratchet wrote…

Bobs Your Uncle ? wrote…

how much do these bozos cost to be fed and watered ?

Irrelevant. You demand law and order, that costs. Can't have it both ways.

Not that irrelevant. These particular ones are an escape risk and are expensive. But a lot of money is spent on security for low level crims, junkies, alkies, derelicts etc, who are not an escape risk at all. They could actually be housed in places like disused holiday camps, with low staff-inmate ratio, but the superstition of the authorities stops that happening.

Quite irrelevant. Bob above is clearly of the school that thinks we should magically not have to pay anything for anything at all. Somehow.

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